Council ``gifts``

May 10, 1985|By Ald. Lawrence S. Bloom.

CHICAGO — I am always amazed by the press. On Thursday, April 25, 1985, several members of the Chicago City Council acknowledged in open debate that they had received gifts from American Airlines valued at up to $2,000 and then voted to amend the O`Hare Airport Use Agreement to expand the facilities of American Airlines at that airport.

Those who received the free round-trip tickets between Chicago and Frankfurt, Germany, were indignant in Chicago that their acceptance of this generosity could conceivably influence their actions. These were the same people who called Mayor Washington`s ethics ordinance too weak. None responded to the argument that the entire credibility of the city council was called into question by such practices.

That was bad enough. For The Chicago Tribune to fail even to mention the issue, or to comment upon it editorially, was almost as bad. As I said, I fail to understand the press.